COLUMBIA, Mo. – Trailing by two goals with seven minutes remaining in regulation, K-State scored a pair of late goals to force a 3-3 draw at Missouri on Sunday afternoon at Audrey J. Walton Soccer Stadium.
"For our morale and our confidence, this was massive," said head coach Mike Dibbini about Sunday's result. "Missouri is a good solid team, playing to get into the NCAA Tournament. They're just on the bubble looking in. For us to go on the road and do it, not only at KU but doing it here and get a point, that's massive for us confidence-wise. It shows that we're capable of not only getting a result on the road but knowing how to do it in comeback fashion."
After Missouri (5-5-3) scored a goal in the 81st minute, K-State (3-7-2) trailed by a two-goal deficit, 3-1. The Wildcats were able to cut into the deficit in the 83rd minute, as Brookelynn Entz scored a tap-in goal for her second of the afternoon with assists on the play by Aliyah El-Naggar and Maddie Weichel.
In the 85th minute, the Wildcats had a chance to square the match at three with a penalty kick from Entz, but the shot missed. Entz had made three straight penalty kicks and 4-of-5 in her career at K-State before Sunday. After the match, Dibbini continued his confidence in the program’s career goals leader.
“If we have to go again with a PK, Brookelynn Entz will be taking it. She wishes she had that one back but we still have confidence in her to step up and take those.”
Despite the miss, K-State continued to attack until the end of regulation. Entz drew the attention of two defenders and played a cross to a wide-open El-Naggar in the 90th minute. El-Naggar gathered the pass and sent her shot into the back of the net for her first career collegiate goal and forced the match into an improbable overtime.
Dibbini credited the late goal by El-Naggar to a formation change in the final 20 minutes.
"We wanted our backs to get higher up the field. They only had three back, so we wanted to create more space where they're susceptible, their outsides. We also made a formation change going into the last 20 minutes. It threw them off and it created a lot of chances for us and we just kept building momentum from there."
The goal by El-Naggar was the second game-tying goal in program history, joining a game-tying effort by Laramie Hall at Creighton in 2016.
With her two goals on Sunday, Entz improved her season total to seven and established a new high for goals in a single-season at K-State. Entz achieved the previous record of five during her freshman season in 2017. Entz also boosted her school record for career multi-goal matches to four.
With her five points on the afternoon, Entz set the school record for total points in a single-match. The five points also boosted her total points this season to 15, which is a new school record for points in a single-season.
With her first assist of the 2020-21 season, Entz moved into sole possession of first for career assists at K-State with eight. She has now dished out an assist in all four seasons of her career.
In the first half, Missouri opened the scoring in the sixth minute, as Jadyn Easley dished a ball to Julissa Cisneros who sent home the tally.
After K-State’s Jenna Brown recorded the only first half shot for the Wildcats in the 32nd minute, the Tigers quickly countered and Madilyn Hamline registered the second goal of the afternoon for Missouri.
K-State got one back in the 58th minute. Emily Crain played a long ball to Entz, who tracked it down and deposited her shot into the net for K-State’s first goal this spring.
The four assists by the Wildcats on Sunday tied the school record for assists in a match and were the most since K-State tallied four helpers at Tulsa on Sept. 16, 2018.
For the match, Missouri held a 21-16 edge in total shots including an 11-7 lead in shots on goal. The Wildcats tallied a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.
K-State will host its final match of the 2020-21 season on Saturday, April 10, as the Wildcats host Iowa State at noon, at Buser Family Park. Admission is free and capacity to Buser Family Park will be limited to 25 percent.
Saturday’s match will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
– kstatesports.com –